Two AM Cookies
by x-WritingParadox-x
Summary: Two AM. A time where Lance considers his past and a time to keep his guard up, to not let anybody understand who he is. Oh! But what's this? Cookies! Hmm, maybe he can let his guard down just this one time.


**Author's Note: Too many one shots I have in my mind at the moment. :O Cartoon Network thinks they'll end this show the moment that I have tons of ideas in my head. Hmm, I'll have five one shots uploaded this week? This is an accomplishment. Now, this poem is not owned by me. In fact, I was writing the fanfic during English class when our teacher told us to get out our booklets that are supposed to prepare us for the state's exam next week. I already read the poem, but after she read it over again I felt like it totally matched how Ilana felt towards Lance. It even had an illustration of a girl with blond hair high in a pony-tail in a perky state sitting across from a boy who has dark hair and seems nervous and unsocial. This fic was originally going to be in Lance's point of view, but I believe I've used his point of view twice already in my Sym-Bionic Titan one shots(_both in Protector of the Earth_ and_ Love is Protection and We're the Protectors_). In _Always _I can't remember if I used the King's point of view or either third person. In _A Nervous Date _I used third person with an overuse of emotions. (How else are you supposed to write a third person story?) The one shots that you'll see later this week are both third person. So, I realize that I need to exercise Ilana's point of view. She's such a happy girl and she reminds me of myself. I think I would get along well with her. On the contrary, my personality is very odd so I can get along well wit Lance, too, because I my best guy friend is just like him(but he's not cute, so you fan-girls should rethink what your...uh...thinking). Anyway, I really wanted to see how Ilana thinks about Lance and how she thinks different from other Galalunians since she's a princess. :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own SBT. If I did though, then I would have Lance wake up at 2AM on the G3 ship in the beginning of "A New Beginning" then he finds a plate of chocolate chip cookies in his assigned room with a note saying, "Thought you'd like these." Then, five or so minutes later the leader of G3 is revealed and every fan at home cries out of enjoyment. Then, Octus is revived. Then...well, I don't know. You get the point. I do not own Sym-Bionic Titan. I'm not that good of an artist or story teller.  
>I do not own the poem either. It belongs to its respected owner(whom which I do not know of).<strong>

* * *

><p><em>The overgrown garden<br>__At the empty,  
><em>_Old house, shivers  
><em>_In the wild autumn wind  
><em>_As I pass. Today  
><em>_I will try to find  
><em>_My way inside  
><em>_Through the locked  
><em>_Gate._

* * *

><p>We held hands in the darkness. I wanted to comfort him but he always held up a barrier around himself. Maybe that's why kids at Sherman liked him so. On the contrary, there were other students with that persona, but no one paid attention to them. They often labeled these teens as "emo" or "depressed." Kristen -I think that is her name- is one of those students. However, Lance is set aside from these Earthlings; he's much different which is why some may adore him. Why had Kimmy and her cheerleader friends wanted him to be theirs? I never understood. Lance had locked himself away from the world and people kept on following him around like he is the king of everything. Even on Galaluna, he set himself away from the others,though he is the corporal. He had given out orders without thought and when someone would question him, he would become angry. I don't think ever made friends in the Elite. Yet the whole army looked up to him while at the same time they wish he never existed. Perhaps it is because of his reckless attitude. Lance knew that he took his work seriously. He knew that people didn't understand him. He didn't understand why people had to always be so ignorant. Lance didn't take life for granted like others did. I wouldn't say he's "emo" but he surely is...himself.<p>

His hand rushed through his dark locks as he let out a sigh. It was his time and I was intruding it. It's not my fault my room was assigned next to his. Well, they didn't have that many available rooms anyway. Solomon knew we would be uncomfortable sleeping in a room with a bunch of G3 soldiers. After all, those guys never sleep. There always has to be a sector of them up at every time of the day. You never know when someone might walk in or out of a room. It's kind of annoying. So after little effort, we ended up in the only two vacant rooms. Lance seemed reluctant to get some sleep. After they had checked on my burns, I had ordered an employee to take me to Lance. I don't know why, but I wanted to talk to him and he is the only one I could talk to about my problems. I left his room to get some sleep, though. Right now, I'm back in his room, for I heard him screaming and pounding on walls. The time is just after two AM. It had occurred to me that this time is special to him, but he never told why. That's Lance for you. Locking you out, like he's different than you. In reality, he's not. We all have our problems. Why can't he just show me who he is? Then again, I intruded his premises.

* * *

><p><em>The garden<br>__Is like a boy I know,  
><em>_Untamed, with hair a mussy mess.  
><em>_His eyes sometimes  
><em>_Empty and dark,  
><em>_Locking out those  
><em>_Who want to know him._

* * *

><p>"Lance, can we just talk?" "Not now," he said. Good point. Who would want to talk to someone who's always gloomy and uninviting? Well, that how Lance is always. However, the day we escaped from Galaluna he seemed anything but gloomy. He acted with great civility towards my father and I, and he showed strength when giving orders out to soldiers. I wouldn't say he seemed happy, but he seemed strong despite the fact of having no acquaintances. However, Earth seems to provoke his feelings even further. I would say it is because he is creating new friendships. Octus being one of them. The fear of gaining friends, made him act out irrationally and guard himself. It's like he is trained not to let people talk to him. On Galaluna, he spoke to others, but he knew he wouldn't be close to those people beyond professional matters. He had nothing to worry about. On Earth, he had everything to worry about. No one here knows of his past except for me. So, Lance had to hide away from the world, but it wouldn't work. I was one of those people who cared about him and wished that he knew that I cared. He shies away from the obvious fact that I care about him. He does not want me to know him. How can I not get to know him? He lives (or used to) in the same house as I do.<p>

His face turned to me, in utter sorrow. He released his fingers from mine as he paced away. "Ilana, I can not talk to-" "Yes, you can!" His head made a sharp turn towards me, then his eyes continued to dart away. He was obviously afraid of anyone comforting him. He wanted to deal with his problems on his own, but he knew that he could not. He breathed unevenly as he placed his hands on the wall. Lance, the once famous corporal, was nervous of telling someone of how he felt about life. He looked at me, shyly, then faintly smiled. As his body made its way towards an old nightstand, his hand gently put a picture to rest. Whatever the picture was he did not want it to haunt him. His hand didn't move from the frame's stand. I can not believe I'm saying this, but he smiled. "Ilana, all want to do is protect you, and us talking will not do good." He finally walked towards the wall avoiding my eyes. "Lance, just tell-" I stopped before I said the wrong words. All I had to do was observe and ask if we could talk. I couldn't force his feelings out. I had to let his private thoughts ocme out on their own. However, it will be hard, considering how he refuses to respond to me directly. It is something like an attack of his. He could not risk me knowing him whatsoever.

* * *

><p><em>Through the gate,<br>__The garden looks  
><em>_Anything but inviting.  
><em>_Inside, tall, tangled weeds  
><em>_Grab and snag at my ankles,  
><em>_Like tiny octopus tentacles.  
><em>_Tree branches block  
><em>_The walkway._

_Even flowers,  
><em>_Brown and crisp as toast,  
><em>_Turn their faces away,  
><em>_As if trained not to care._

* * *

><p>I move my way towards his figure just to stop and stare. I did not say a word, in order to not provoke his anger. He finally grinned somewhat, eager to speak. "I wonder why he left me here." I had little to no idea of what he was speaking about, but I took my chance. "He may have wanted you to learn to become a man." Something in my gut told me that was not the reason why this man -who I assume to be his supposedly dead father- had left him to defend himself. Lance tensed. "Whatever the reason, he had to know that I was hated for the rest of my life." "What?" I murmured. He grabbed my wrist -still avoiding eye contact- and sat me on the bed. We sat in silence. "Ilana, you never dealt with this type of situation in your life. The least you've been through is your mother's death which is why you are afraid of the king dying." "Lance!" I gasped. Why would he say such a thing? It's a fear of mine. I am very close to my father and I could not imagine losing him like I lost my mother. Once he dies I have to rule Galaluna. I do not have any comprehension on how to rule the world. His steady hands rested on my shoulders. "I'm sorry." For the next few minutes we sat in silence until Lance knew what to say.<p>

"My dad just thought it was smart enough for him to step foot through that rift gate and leave me all alone. The whole kingdom hated him after that experiment. First off, the hopes the world had for a way to escape if there ever was an attack from Mutrad. Now, everyone blamed it -not on my father alone- but on me. I can never go back to Galaluna." I couldn't help but glare at him. He didn't act all sad on Galaluna, but he made it perfectly clear that he does not miss that place. On Earth, he acted like he did miss it. "It is not your fault. Not everyone blamed you. Do you think my dad blamed you? He trusts you, Lance. If you ask me, your not worthless." I really had no idea what rolled off of my tongue, but it seemed to have worked. He shrugs as if he is taking in what I had said, but knowing him, he tried his best to lose my words in his own thoughts. He did not want to hear what I had to say.

* * *

><p><em>The boy shrugs his shoulders<br>__When I ask if I can eat  
><em>_At his table. He clutches  
><em>_His lunch,  
><em>_Props a book,  
><em>_Like a fence, in front  
><em>_Of his face, as if  
><em>_He's trained himself  
><em>_Not to care.  
><em>_But I do._

* * *

><p>I can only imagine the pain he goes through. Lance had just lost Octus, and he thinks he's losing me. Well, I'll show him that he's not losing me. We sat in silence. I got up to pace the floor, smiling from ear to ear. "What are you so happy about? If you already forgot, Ilana, we lost everything." I laughed at his ignorance. "No we have not. We still have each other." "Yeah, well-" "What is it? Is each other not enough?" "I just feel happiest when I-" "Lance!" "Fine, Ilana. It's not my fault I can't carry a conversation with someone I can't relate to." I sat down on his bed, "Oh, really?" His stomach growled. It is not my fault that it did so. He must have been hungry at that time, but I did not pay any attention to it. I wanted to pay attention to his needs though. He is so odd. I need to figure more about him. I need unravel his secrets that he has kept locked in a chest. Would he open up though? "What's your favorite color?" His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What? What is it?" I felt insulted in the slightest extent. "It's just obvious, Ilana, that you are trying to start a conversation with me. Listen, it's not that I don't want to be friends. I just have a mission, and that is to take care of you." "So, you're not willing to take risks? Is that it then?" He did not respond. I held his hand again. Maybe I was not the one comforting him, maybe he was the one comforting me. I am practically the ruler of a planet yet all of Galaluna is gone as I know it. You would not understand because you're not commanding a government. Well, it's not mine yet, but it is soon to be my government. It seems like Lance and I are here to comfort each other.<p>

* * *

><p><em>In the garden, I bring out my clippers, snipping away<br>__At dry branches, snarled  
><em>_Weeds, trimming tiny stems of flowers  
><em>_To invite the rays of sunlight._

* * *

><p>"Did you become apart of the Elite because you wanted-" "It was somewhat of a choice. I wanted to make my dad proud." He is right. Who does not want to make their dad proud? Most of all, his dad is long gone. Hey, maybe I should listen up, because he's actually trying to let out his feelings! "General Modula and my father must have made arrangements for you to attend the academy, right?" Somehow he cringed at the mention of Modula. I do not know why, probably because no one hardly got along with Modula or either because he's dead also. Who is not dead, that is the question? He nodded his head though. "Well, it made you become a great soldier, and because of it, you met me." I squeezed his hand tighter as he seemed to become more uncomfortable. "Lance, you should get some sleep." "Don't you get it, Ilana? I can't!" "Why not?" "It's two in the morning, Ilana." This time always had a special significance to Lance, but he never explained why. He let go of my hand. "I always woke up at this time, because my dad would walk in my room to check on me. I'm a light sleeper. So, I would get up, and he'd basically had no choice but to talk to me. We sat and ate snacks as he went on and on about the projects he was working on at the lab. It's just a habit of mine. My body has never been able to accommodate itself to more regular sleeping patterns since he left." I did not want to leave him, but I had to. "Where are you going?" "To my room. I'll be back in a second Lance." I searched through the duffel bag next to my bed. A group of G3 soldiers had went on a mission earlier to retrieve mine and Lance's items since we do not know how long we will stay here. There it was in the bag unopened. I smiled brightly once I noticed it. As I walked back into Lance's room, the box was neatly tucked in both of my hands behind my back. I plopped back on the bed. "What's that behind your back?" Aw, he found out that quickly? I was defeated, therefore I had to show him, but I would not go down without a fight. I turned away from him and placed the box in front of my face. Despite his attempt at peaking over my shoulders, I slyly opened the box. In an instant, I turned back around and a cookie was in front of his face. He smiled, "But why?" "You said you and your dad always had snacks when he came home." It is impossible to describe what he did next. He smiled -the largest smile I've ever seen. He then closed his eyes, as if saying a prayer. He could have been hiding tears, but I do not know. Though he was lost, he seemed to find his way back home. I wanted to let him know that I will always be there for him. There we sat in the morning hours, awaiting the arrival of the Sun, discussing several personal topics as we devoured our delicious cookies.<p>

* * *

><p><em>At lunch,<br>__I offer the boy a coconut  
><em>_Macaroon cookie.  
><em>_"My favorite!"  
><em>_He exclaims, and I watch  
><em>_As his wild eyes  
><em>_Find my face  
><em>_And smile._

* * *

><p><strong>End note: So, the part about Ilana's mom being dead crossed my mind today. If you look at "Shadows of Youth" it seems like there's a woman who resembles Ilana greatly. I just made a fan theory that it is Ilana's mom. Today, I was watching "Escape from Galaluna" and noticed how the king stated that if he failed, Ilana must take over the kingdom. Yeah, I just put a dose of fan theory in my one shot which is odd because I try to avoid that in my writings. (If you couldn't tell already, I am cannon-type girl.) Oh, and when Lance gets tense about the mention of General Modula is referring to when he walked in to the Mutraddi gathered, discussing the plan of invasion during the episode "Escape From Galaluna." I kind of wondered if he ever got the chance to recognize who it was that took control of the Mutraddi. If he did see it was Modula, maybe he didn't believe it because Modula is suspected to be dead(along with someone else who is suspected to be dead, but obviously not). Well, then again, he was very surprised when that general dude said that he wasn't the only one that betrayed them. So, I just made him have this little grudge against Modula. You can use your imagination to distinguish why. Nonetheless, I am not I happy with the final result. If you liked this, then go ahead and leave a review or favorite. YAY! :D<br>Guess what? I'm making a freakin' music video for Sym-Bionic Titan. :D I'm so excited. I would tell you what song I'm doing it to, but it's an underground band. I think the video would be titled, "As Long As I'm Alive(LancexIlana)." I'm not a major Ilanca shipper but I've been pulled in. Don't forget to send purple shirts to Cartoon Network!**


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